ORIENTAL CAT ASSOCIATION YEARBOOK 2012 Editorial Cathy Baxter – Yearbook Editor This year I am delighted to take over editorial responsibility for the OCA yearbook and would like to start by saying thank you to Carol Ward for her editorship of this publication in previous years. I am fully aware how much this publication is valued by club members and it will indeed be a challenge to live up to members’ expectations as well as the standards set in previous editions. The OCA Committee are also pleased to be able to share the exciting news about the formation of the new registered charity, the Oriental Cat Welfare Trust. This year we have a range of articles including an excellent article by Peter Neville summarising the behavioural impacts of weaning on kittens, a must-read for any breeder or interested owner. As some members do import cats and kittens from abroad as well as travel with their cats, we also have a summary of the new Regulations that came into effect on the 1st January 2012 concerning bringing cats in to the UK following the relaxation of the quarantine rules. Sincere thanks also go to Sue McParlin for sharing her harrowing experience associated with feline calicivirus vaccination. I’m sure the hearts of every reader of the article will go out to Sue for what she went through. Thanks must also go to Jane North, a founder member of the OCA, for inspiring an article on feline hypertension (high blood pressure). Again this article developed out of adversity, but it is hoped that raising awareness of this issue may help others. Continuing this theme, a big thank you to Clare Whitby for sharing Mitzi’s Memory so that others may be more aware of oesophagitis/oesophageal strictures and their causes. A range of other articles concerning common and topical veterinary issues also feature in this year’s edition. Do you ask for a midline spay for your girls or go for a more traditional flank approach? And it is still not too late to participate in the ‘Bristol Cats’ study if you are over 18, live in the UK and own an eligible kitten aged 8-16 weeks. I would also like to personally thank all those members who have placed adverts in the yearbook this year as your contributions have gone a long way to offset the printing and distribution costs for the hard copy version of the yearbook, which is preferred by some members. I also enjoyed the sneak preview of your beautiful photographs whilst incorporating your adverts into this edition The views and opinions expressed in this Yearbook do not necessarily reflect those of the Committee of the Oriental Cat Association nor those of the Editor. 1 OCA Committee Contacts CHAIR Carol Ward Springfield Cottage, Dixter Lane, Northiam TN31 6PR Tel: 01797 253899, E-Mail [email protected] VICE CHAIR, SHOW MANAGER & CUP SECRETARY, MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY John Bunce 28 Piddinghoe Avenue, Peacehaven BN10 8RJ Tel: 01273 589827, E-Mail [email protected] SECRETARY & SHOW MANAGER Irene Rothwell 76 Valley Road, Streatham, London SW16 2XN Tel: 020 7564 8436, E-Mail [email protected] TREASURER Kerry Smith 24 Martin Hardie Way, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 4AE Tel: 01732 300036, E-Mail [email protected] SHOW SUPPORT & CLUB TABLES Senga Gaffey 43 Coltswood Dunnymans Road, Banstead, Surrey SM7 2BZ Tel: 01737 379571, E-Mail [email protected] CAT WELFARE, KITTEN ENQUIRIES & STUD LIST Val Walter Yew Tree Cottage, Compass Lane, Ashburnham, Battle TN33 9NG Tel: 01424 892618 & 0845 0529655 (local rates apply), E-Mail [email protected] YEARBOOK EDITOR Cathy Baxter 37A Spencer Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham TW2 5TZ Tel: 07809 396727, E-Mail [email protected] 2 Amenra Orientals Wish all members of the Oriental Cat Association, their friends & families A very happy, healthy & successful 2012 Amenra Zobeida (43hs) Carol Ward [email protected] 3 AT LIMITED STUD MONGKUT’S GRAND CHAMPION DEANNAN TREASURE-ME Home of The First Caramel Self To Gain the Title of Grand Champion Proven Stud Excellent Temperament Kittens sometimes available to permanent loving homes Contact Anne on 07904909046 Email:[email protected] 4 Contents OCA Spring Newsletter 2012 Pages 6-8 The Oriental Cat Welfare Trust (OCWT) Page 11 Bringing Cats into the UK Pages 12-16 Oesophagitis and Oesophageal Strictures Pages 20-21 The Behavioural Impacts of Weaning on Kittens Pages 23-27 A Day in the Life of the OCA Show Pages 31-34 Flank vs. Midline Approach to Spaying Cats Pages 36-37 High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) in Cats Pages 40-44 FCV Vaccination and “Limping Syndrome” Pages 47-50 The Bristol Cats Study Pages 53-54 What is a modern pet cat? A 13 point brief! Page 57 The Benefits of OCA Membership Pages 61-62 OCA Membership Form Page 63 OCWT Gift Aid Declaration Form Page 65 5 SPRING NEWSLETTER 2012 The OCA Committee and Club’s Officers Carol Ward, John Bunce and Irene Rothwell have continued this year as Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively. Kerry Smith was elected as Treasurer and John Bunce as Membership Secretary. Val Walter continues to do a stirling job with Cat Welfare. Other committee members are Senga Gaffey, Cathy Baxter, Clare Whitby, Linda Schofield – and Sharon Crisp has been nominated to join the committee from June 1st. Caroleen Falconer has resigned due to ill health after many years of service – we will miss her but she has promised to keep making the spiders! The AGM 2012 The AGM will be held on April 22nd 2012 starting at 2.00 pm at Parish C of E Junior School, Warrington Road CR0 4BH. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. We still have vacancies for co-optees. Please consider if this is a way you could play an active part in the club – the committee meets 5 times a year. RENEWAL OF SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions were due on 1st January 2012. Please note subscriptions increased to £7.50 single and £10 joint last year. Family £1.00 extra per child under 16 years of age. Did you amend your Standing Order or regular PayPal payment? Subscriptions should be sent to the Treasurer – Miss Kerry Smith, 24 Martin Hardy Way, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 4AE Tel 01732 300036. If you would like to complete a standing order form to save you the hassle of remembering to send your subscription each year, standing order forms are available on receipt of an SAE from Kerry, or alternatively pick one up from the Club Table. Please let us know if your details change. Alternatively you can now pay using the PayPal facility at www.orientalcatassociation.org. THE ORIENTAL CAT WELFARE TRUST The committee realised that the level of donation over the past few years fulfilled the criteria for us to apply for charitable status – specifically for cat welfare – not the club as a whole - and on 7th February 2012 our charitable status was confirmed by the Charities Commission. It will be called the Oriental Cat Welfare Trust and our Registered Charity no is 1145775. The committee would like to thank Ted Jones for agreeing to become a trustee along with John Bunce, Val Walter, Kerry Smith and Cathy Baxter. The safe houses are now well established with Val Walter and 54 cats have been re- homed by Val in 2011. Contributions of Petplan vouchers, food, cat equipment etc. also help us provide for rescued cats. Carol Ward has again this year been at local boot and craft fairs and raised £640 for the welfare work and Kerry Smith again kindly organised a stall at the Kentish show and raised a £95. This is greatly appreciated. The OCA Welfare 6 service can be contacted on the following numbers 01424 892618 or local rate number 0845 0529655 or email [email protected] OCA CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW Entries were down last year, but financially we still made a small profit. Irene Rothwell and John Bunce will again be Joint Show Managers in 2012 and we look forward to seeing you at the Stantonbury Leisure Complex on the 16th June 2012. Even if you are unable to show a cat there are many ways you can support our specialist breed show and make it a successful day. Trophies won at the show will be awarded at the AGM in April 2013. Details of trophy wins will be sent to exhibitors after the show. The schedule will be posted to last years’ exhibitors or can be downloaded from the OCA Website. In addition schedules can be requested by post, or email [email protected] AMENDED ORIENTAL REGISTRATION POLICY – IN PROGRESS For some time there has been concern expressed that the Oriental gene pool is decreasing and that long term this would be detrimental to the breed. In January 2011 OJBAC submitted the Oriental Breeding policy as required by GCCF. This stated the following: Permitted Outcrosses: It is important that no obstacle be put in the way of attempts to widen the gene pool except where there are cogent reasons not to allow the out-crossing: Since type is what distinguishes the Oriental from any other breed, out-crossing to breeds not of Siamese type is not permitted. In addition Foreign Whites, being blue eyed, may only be mated to Siamese and not to other colours of Oriental. In light of this statement it became necessary to review the registration policy. After much discussion over several meetings a vote was taken at OJBAC on 27th November to allow both Bi-colour and Longhair cats in the pedigrees of Oriental Shorthairs and that any offspring could be registered according to phenotype (i.e.